Israel and Iran must immediately stop 'shooting', says Trump as Mideast boils again

US President Donald Trump on Monday called for an immediate end to hostilities as renewed exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran escalated tensions across the Middle East, saying Israel and Iran must stop “shooting.”

Tensions between Israel and Iran escalated sharply after air raid sirens sounded across Israel late Sunday as the Israeli military said it intercepted incoming Iranian missiles in what was the first such barrage since an April ceasefire had taken effect in the region.

Also read: Iran launches missiles at Israel for first time since Mideast truce

Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps described the strike as a “warning” following Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs earlier in the day, while also cautioning that wider attacks could follow in the event of further escalation.


The April 8 ceasefire had temporarily halted major hostilities between Iran and Israel as well as the United States, but diplomatic efforts to convert the truce into a longer-term settlement have repeatedly stalled. Sunday’s exchange came as the wider conflict crossed 100 days, further weakening prospects of a durable peace.

Israel, meanwhile, accused Iran of committing a “grave mistake”, saying its military intercepted all 11 missiles launched in the attack and reported no casualties. Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said the armed forces would “strike the enemy with force as soon as the green light is given”.

Trump urges restraint amid fears of wider war

US President Donald Trump also intervened diplomatically, reportedly advising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against retaliation after the latest exchange. “Israel had its strike and Iran had its strike. We don’t need another one,” Trump was quoted as saying, according to a report by Axios journalist Barak Ravid.

Trump further said he would “call Bibi right now and tell him not to retaliate”, using Netanyahu’s nickname. A US official later said Trump and Netanyahu had spoken, though the White House did not issue an official readout of the call.

Iran has warned that any further Israeli strikes on Beirut could trigger a “full-scale resumption” of hostilities, while accusing Washington of tacit support for Israel’s actions. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf alleged that US assets in the region could be treated as “legitimate targets”.

Also read: Israel says it has struck Iran after taking missile fire

Following the missile exchange, Iran temporarily closed airspace over its western region, with Iraq and Syria also restricting air traffic. Israel later said it struck a militant command centre in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district in response to Hezbollah fire, an attack that killed two people and injured 20, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Iran-backed Hezbollah confirmed firing missiles and drones at Israeli military positions earlier in the day.

Wider conflict & a stalled diplomacy

The latest flare-up comes amid a broader regional conflict involving multiple actors, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, with both Israel and Iran accusing each other of crossing “red lines”.

While some diplomatic engagement continues — including reported mediation efforts involving Pakistan — negotiations between Tehran and Washington remain stalled. Iranian officials have described talks as being at a “deadlock”, while the US has said sanctions relief would only follow progress in any future agreement.

The escalation has also affected regional security dynamics in the Strait of Hormuz, where US Central Command said it destroyed two Iranian drones it claimed threatened maritime traffic, further intensifying tensions in the Gulf region.